Gas scrubber apparatus



y 1961 E. H. G. PERCEVAUT 2,983,333

' GAS SCRUBBER APPARATUS Filed May 5, 1958 Fig. 7 2

2 5a A x I I I 3 l 71 J F, A 3 q 9 United, State 2,983,333 GAS SCRUBBER APPARATUS Emile Henri Gabriel Percevaut, 14 Rue de Santeuil,

. Paris, ce

This invention relates to gas scrubber apparatus more especially though not exclusively of the type used for cleaning combustion gases prior to discharge through a chimney flue.

In one known type of combustion gas scrubber system, a mechanical centrifuge apparatus is provided through which the gases are passed, and water is used to collect and discharge the dirt separated by centrifugal action. Such scrubber systems are eflicient but involve the use of expensive and complicated electromechanical apparatus requiring constant inspection and servicing.

In other types of scrubber systems the gases to be scrubbed are constrained to pass through sheets of water flowing over baflles or the like, the water acting to collect the dirt particles by wetting action. Such systems are simpler and cheaper in regard to the apparatus required but introduce a large pressure drop into the gas flow circuit so that they greatly increase energy expenditure.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved scrubber system which combines the advan tageous features of both the centrifuge and water-screen systems mentioned above while eliminating the defects of both. A further object is to provide a simple and economical scrubbing system in which the combined eifects of centrifugal force, wetting, and kinetic energy of water jets are combined in a novel manner to provide enhanced scrubbing efficiency without introducing any appreciable pressure drop in the gas flow circuit.

The above and further objects and advantages of the invention and the novel features thereof will appear from V the ensuing description of an exemplary embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, wherein: I

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of the improved scrubber apparatus, the section being taken on line II of Fig. 3; v Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along line II-II of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along line IIIIII of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the apparatus comprises-a casing 1 of generally rectangular or box-shaped form. Projecting into the casing through a side aperture is a conduit 2 carrying the gases to be scrubbed, e.g. combustion gases from a liquid fuel-fired furnace or the like. The conduit 2 is shown as being square in cross section, but may, if desired, be formed with a somewhat flared or diverging end section. Projecting into the conduit 2 adjacent its entrance into the casing 1 is a water discharge pipe 4 having a plurality of jet orifices 3 positioned within the conduit 2. and directed to discharge water in the same direction as the flow of gases, so that the kinetic energy of the water jets tends to add to the acceleration of the gas.

A set of deflector baflle plates 5a, 5b, in any suitable number, e.g. six as shown, and of coaxial arcuate form,

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1 so as to impart to the dirt-' and the water-laden gas an arcuate flowpath in a downward direction as.indi-' cated by the arrows. This subjects the gas to centrifugal force as it flows past the deflector plates, so that the dirt and water particles are forced radially outwards against the plate surfaces; and this action greatly'contributes to a thorough wetting of the dirt particles with the water on the plate surfaces, an effect which isfurther enhanced by the large number of thin. sheets or veins into which the gas flow is divided by the plurality of baflle plates.

Preferably the deflector plates increase in width outwardly from the end of conduit 2 so, as to provide grad,- ually'increasing flow sections for the gas. The angular extent of the deflector plates ,may be substantially 90,as shown, and the upper ends of the plates may form an angle ofabout 45 to the conduit axis. I

The baffles terminate at their lower'ends adjacent bottom section 6 of the casing 1, which bottom section is shaped as a hopper and defines an enlarged separating chamber, so that the dirt-laden water drippingfrom the lower ends of the baflles 5a and 5b and settling out of the gases, flow down the sides of the hopper into a discharge outlet 7 at the bottom thereof. The dirt-free gas on the other hand rises upwards as indicated by the arrows to flow around and past the conduit 2 and through an upper gas outlet 9 formed in a converging upper section 8 of the casing 1.

The scrubber apparatus described may be positioned at any suitable point of the combustion gas discharge line of a furnace, such as a liquid fuel-fired furnace. Thus it may be positioned adjacent the furnace itself, in which case the outlet 9 would discharge into the flue, or the scrubber apparatus may be adjacent the top of the flue in which event the outlet 9 may communicate directly with atmosphere. It is noted that this latter arrangement which is especially desirable in many cases is only made possible because of the absence of any moving mechanism in the apparatus embodying the invention.

It will be apparent from the above disclosure that an enhanced scrubbing action in the apparatus embodying the invention results from a combination of the following efiects: (a) A centrifugal action generated by the rotational movement imparted to the dirtand water-laden gas by the arcuate flowpath in the baflle section; (b) an acceleration of the gas due to the addition thereto of kinetic energy from the pressure jets of water followed by an increased separating action due to the enlarged flow are in the diverging section of the system; (c)

more thorough wetting of the centrifuged dirt particles due to the large contact area provided by the multiple arcuate' deflector surfaces against which the particles forcibly impinge; and (d) increased separating efliciency due to the expansion of the gases in the large-section separating chamber at the outlet from the baflles.

According to a modified embodiment of the invention,

sources: of gas tobe cleaned, e.g. furnaces or the like.

are supported at the end of the conduit 2 within casing- Various other modifications will be apparent to those familiar with the art without departing from the scope of this invention as defined by the ensuing claims.

What I claim is:

1. A gas scrubbing apparatus comprising a casing, at least one conduit for dirt-laden gas extending substantially horizontally in said casing and having one end projecting from said casing, said conduit diverging toward the other end thereof, nozzle means supported in ee e Me! .9. 6

said conduit adjacent said one end of the latter and discharging jets of water under pressure directed toward said other end of the conduit to induce the flow of dirtladcn gas through sai cond i an to d W ter o said flow, a series of generally concentric, arcuate baflle plates in said casing extending from said other other end of the conduit terminating in end edge portions that are directed downwardly and rearwardly with respect to the direction of said flow of gas through said conduit, said bafic plates being spaced apart toidefine relatively thin passages therebetween which increase in cross-sectional area toward said end edge portions of the bafile plates-- so that the, flow of water and dirt-laden gas is divided in said passages and subjected to centrifugal force whereby the water-and dirt ,are thrown outwardly against said baflie plates for thorough wetting of the dirt which drips from said end edge portions, means defining an outlet for dirt-laden water at the bottom of said casing, and means defining an outlet for the scrubbed gas at the top of said'casing above said conduit.

2. A gas scrubbing apparatus as in claim 1; wherein said bafie plates are uniformly spaced apart and increase in width toward said end edge portions thereof in order to effect said increase in the cross-sectional area of said passages, said baflle plates connect to said other end of the conduit at an angle of approximately 45 degrees with respect to the axis'of said conduit, and said casing has substantially larger lateral dimensions than said conduit so that the scrubbed gas passes around said conduit during travel to said outlet at the top of said casing,

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 838,602 Zellweger Dec. 18, 1906 1,007,289 Jefireys Oct.'31, 1911 2,579,282 Vicard Dec. 18, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 

